The Pac-12 suffered an epic collapse this past year, but it's slowly rebuilding with the help of some Group of Five schools. UTSA could be the next to join after Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State, and Fresno State all agreed to transfer on July 1, 2026.
UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor confirmed that the school is interested, via his radio show.
“Obviously, we're committed to the league we're in, and we're very grateful for the AAC [American Athletic Conference], but we have to listen to the people that want to talk to us,” Traylor said. “I just think it has to make sense for us. Obviously geographically it might not be as aligned as the AAC is. But financially, what does that look like for us?”
There would be a mutual benefit in this marriage. The Pac-12, currently the Pac-6, would get closer to reaching the eight-school threshold required to join the FBS. Meanwhile, the Roadrunners could get richer, depending on how much money the conference offers. The AAC reportedly pays its member schools $7 million per year, so the Pac-12 would have to pony up more than that, via Football Scoop.
How will this tug of war play out?
UTSA could help raise the new Pac-12's profile
The aforementioned four schools that joined, along with original members Oregon State and Washington State, help the conference cover the West Coast, with the exception of Boise State, which is in Idaho. However, UTSA would expand its reach to Texas, which is a hotbed for college football fandom.
When mutual growth is a possibility, it's hard to turn it down. The Roadrunners are a new team, so they could benefit from a financial boost.
“We're a program that's only been playing ball for 13 years. Most of our limitations are strictly just that,” Traylor continued. “We have a booster base that's very loyal. They help us, they're just not a lot of us, because we haven't been around very long. So it's the same people always having to do the most. If you have the opportunity to expediate the growth of a 13-year program, you've got to listen to it.”
While the Pac-12 lost powerhouses like Oregon and USC, re-branding with Mountain West and AAC schools would make it a standout conference once again, especially with the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff format. Time will tell if they add another chapter to the NCAA conference realignment saga.
Follow Us
Subscribe
